Kris and I had a busy weekend which was filled with frugality. Mostly.

On Friday, we stopped by the Milwaukie library book sale. This is the first library book sale I’ve attended where I haven’t felt compelled to purchase tons of books. I did buy a few, though, including:

  • Your Money Matters by Malcolm MacGregor
  • 2001 Household Hints and Dollar Stretchers by Michael Gore
  • The Young Man Entering Business by Orison Swett Marden (a 1901 guide for young men — my big splurge at $6)
  • Wealth Without Risk by Charles Givens
  • Collins Latin-English Dictionary
  • On Writing Well by William Zinsser
  • On Writing Well by William Zinssesr (third edition)
  • If You Want to Write by Brend Ueland
  • The Elements of Expression by Arthur Plotnik
  • The Ortho Guide to Basic Home Wiring Techniques
  • The Ortho Guide to Doors, Windows, and Skylights
  • The Sunset Guide to Home Canning
  • The Farm Journal Freezing and Canning Cookbook
  • Heloise from A to Z

Total cost? About $14, nearly half of which went to the old book. After a quick stop at Mike’s Drive-In for some milkshakes, Kris and I drove to Portland Nursery to buy a rain barrel for her birthday.

On Saturday, we made our first-ever foray to the Eastmoreland Community Garage Sale. Wow! There were 140+ families officially participating, and many more who were unofficially participating. We spent five hours walking the streets, looking for bargains.

I spent $21.75:

  • $5 on a cat carrier ($25 new)
  • $3 on a mitre saw and mitre box
  • $5 on an unused set of rapidograph pens ($90 new at Amazon!)
  • $0.25 on The Wealthy Barber (!!!)
  • $1 on Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant
  • $1 on Real Estate Loop-Holes: Secrets of Successful Real Estate Investing, which is marketed under the Rich Dad brand
  • $1 on MAD About the Seventies
  • $5 on an old slate chalkboard
  • $0.50 on The Motley Fool Investment Guide

I also spent several dollars buying drinks and snacks from kids in the neighborhood. I always buy stuff from kids. This girl was selling jokes:

On Saturday evening, Tiffany and Andi joined us for a potluck BBQ at Paul and Amy Jo‘s. We were all famished, and gorged ourselves on the delicious food.

Last week, Kris and I discovered the Milwaukie farmers market, which takes place midday every Sunday during the summer. We’ve lived here two years, but have never gone. That’s a shame, because the market is much better than we had expected. There’s lots of fresh produce, of course:

 
 

But there are also vendors selling flowers, sharpening knives, serving lemonade, cooking sausages and elephant ears, and selling meat (lamb, pork, clams, etc.). I spent $7 on flavored cheese curds. What an awesome snack: garlic- or chipotle pepper-flavored curds are delicious!

On Sunday afternoon, we wilted in the heat. In the evening, Mike and Rhonda joined us to celebrate Kris’ birthday at Higgins, one of our favorite Portland restaurants. I promptly spent three times as much for one meal as I had spent over the entire weekend buying books, scavenging garage sales, and looking over fresh produce. But it was worth it.

It was a very good weekend.

3 Replies to “Frugal Weekend”

  1. lee says:

    and you aren’t even going to tell us the joke?

  2. J.D. says:

    Oops. Sorry. The joke was:

    Q: What did the sock say to the foot?
    A: You’re putting me on!

    I don’t know? Worth fifty cents?

  3. lee says:

    it made me laugh. 🙂

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